To forgive is not to forget. The merit lies in loving in spite of the vivid knowledge that one that must be loved is not a friend. There is not merit in loving an enemy when you forget him for a friend.
Mahatma GandhiRead
You don't know who is important to you until you actually lose them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
We often take people for granted and only realize their importance when they are no longer in our lives.
This quote by Mahatma Gandhi emphasizes the idea that we often do not appreciate the people who are significant to us until they are gone. It serves as a reminder to cherish our relationships and to recognize the value that others bring into our lives while we have the opportunity to do so.
Themes
ImportanceLossAppreciationRelationshipsValue
In practice
Example use cases
During a funeral speech, to highlight the significance of a loved one.
More from Mahatma Gandhi
All quotes βLove never claims, it ever gives. Love ever suffers, never resents never revenges itself.
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Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
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The real test of nonviolence lies in its being brought in contact with those who have contempt for it.
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Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
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The devotion of such titans of spirit as Lenin to an Ideal must bear fruit. The nobility of his selflessness will be an example through centuries to come, and his Ideal will reach perfection.
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